Cereals and oil seeds, area and yields, 2004, preliminary figures

Including all grain crops, average grain yield per decare came to 449 kilos in 2004, compared with 395 kilos in 2003. A total of 419 800 tonnes of wheat, 626 200 tonnes of barley and 368 500 tonnes of oats were harvested in 2004. Most grain was grown in the counties Akershus, Østfold and Hedmark, accounting for 56 per cent of the total grain area and 59 per cent of the total grain crop.

Average decare yield of wheat for the country as a whole was calculated to 496 kilos in 2004, against 466 the year before. Average decare yield for barley was 429 kilos, almost 70 kilos more than in 2003. The average decare yield of oats is calculated to 434 kilos in 2004.

Decline in grain area

The area of grain has dropped by 150 000 decares since 1995, and was 3.23 million decares in 2004. The areas of barley and oats were reduced by 9 and 17 per cent respectively. In the same period, the wheat area increased by 29 per cent to 850 000 decares.

The number of holdings growing grain and oil seeds decreased by 35 per cent from 1995 to 2004, from 26 000 to 16 800. The average grain area per holding rose from 130 decares to 192 decares in this period.

Tables:

• Table 1 Holdings with area of grain and oil seeds. Area used for grain and oil seeds. 1989, 1995-2004*
• Table 2 Total production and yield of grain. 1989, 1995-2004*
• Table 3 Holdings, by area used for grain and oil seeds. 1989, 1995-2004*